Aam Aadmi Party and 700 litres Free water in Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party is making headlines with its stunning debut by winning 28 of the 70 seats in Delhi  within one year of its birth as a political party.  Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, has become the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi at the age of 45, on 28^th December, 2013  with the outside support of Congress as the party was short of 8 seats of absolute majority.

The AAP's acceptance of Congress support for forming the Government has  not found favour  with all Delhiwalas,  as the party has all throughout been maintaining a position of “Neither taking nor giving the support to BJP and Congress”. The party leadership has explained that there is no tie –up or Alliance with the Congress. It decided to form Government due to overwhelming demand by the people of Delhi as expressed by the people in various public meetings or “Jan Sabhas” and via email and SMSs.

It is very unlikely that the Aam Aadmi Party will last more than 6 months. In all likelihood, Congress will withdraw its support at the first available opportunity. However, the  party believes that it should make best use of the available time and introduce its star programs included in the manifesto—Jan Lok Pal Bill(within 2 weeks) ,700 litres free water supply within 24 hours, reduction in power tariff by 50% within 4 months etc.etc.

There is no perceived  problem in making the announcement for free water within 24 hours as it requires just an administrative order. The Aam Aadmi Party believes that free water supply will not have any adverse impact on the finances of the Government. It will be able to generate enough funds by controlling rampant corruption in the Jal Board, breaking the back of the water Mafia, better maintenance of pipelines with  reduced leakages, and controlling wasteful expenditures.

We fully support the Aam Aadmi Party initiative in all its efforts in controlling corruption. Only time will tell whether the party is able to convert its plans into reality,and its assessment of supplying free water from the funds generated through reduced corruption is proved correct. We are quite confident that Aam Aadmi Party Government under the able leadership of Mr. Kejriwal will be able to improve the situation, but it could take years, due to the worst bureaucracy in the world.

We have several concerns and in this article, we are raising the issue of Free Water.

Is Aam Aadmi Party right in giving 700 litres free water per house hold per day? Is it really a healthy practice or a vote catching gimmick ?

 According to Aam Aadmi Party leaders, this was included in party’s manifesto as it believes that it is the right of every citizen to have water for living and it is also supported by WHO. We agree, but the issue is”Should it be free?”

According to some reports, only 72% of Delhi population is getting safe drinking water. Should the priority  be to make available water  to 100% of the population or to make it free? Will supply of free water not increase wastage and thus increase scarcity? According to Aam Aadmi Party, there is no actual shortage of water in Delhi. The Water mafia is causing artificial shortage and the party will deal strongly to break their back. We do not think that it is so simple and can be achieved so easily in a short duration of time.

We accept Aam Aadmi Party’s contention that the cost of water can be brought down considerably, but it is certain that it cannot be Zero. It would mean party will make water free for small consumers (less than 700 litres water per day per household) at the cost of consumers with higher usage. This measure is a populist one  and may lead to misuse of the systems and lead to corruption.

Will it not lead to?

(a)  Increased corruption as consumers with higher usage could   adopt unscrupulous practices to get into the category of smaller consumers—unauthorized hidden connection, taking additional connection on the pretext that more than one family is staying in the premises etc.etc.

(b)  Increase wastage by those whose present consumption is less than 700 liters a day.

Still bigger issue is “Whether it is a desirable and ethical?”

It is well known that “Free” stuff is given:

(a)  As a Gift

(b)  As a Bribe

(c)  To beggars

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(a)  If it is a gift from Aam Aadmi Party, then common wisdom suggests that the Party must be expecting something in return(Vote and support of a certain section of society). Since the Gift is being funded with Tax Payers money, it is a matter of concern.

(b)  If it is a bribe to get Votes/Support, then “Where is the party’s mission of “Corruption Free India”?

©   If it is given on the consideration that the small consumers cannot afford “Water” then the party is treating them as “Beggars’”.  Is party trying to make Delhi and hence India full of beggars, the same way other political  parties have started a class war as their vote-bank policy by offering freebies to certain class of people and then very well to do people are also scrambling to join that class through bogus certificates leading to rampant corruption.

It is true that Aam Aadmi party policy of 700 litres water per household per day is much better than the freebies offers of Congress,BJP and many other regional parties and will lead to much less increase in corruption compared to others.It may also be true that Aam Aadmi Party would not have got stunning victory in Delhi elections without such policies as it was competing with the worst crooks of Indian politics. सच  तो  यह  है  कि  सी धी  ऊँगली से घी नहीं निकलता। 

I hope that Aam Aadmi Party will review its policies and modify once the party is able to bring the desired changes in the country,reduce disparity between the rich and the poor and country becomes a better place to live with much less corruption.